Spring bass fishing remains very good

By Jeff Goodwin
05/08/16 -- Its been one heck of a year on local bass lakes here in Shasta county. The pre spawn bite was amazing, almost so good I had forgotten how great the fishing this winter was. Just like anything else, there are mostly good days on the water and every once in a while an off day is in the cards. I had a few days on Shasta Lake last week and I found the bass to be spread out pretty good. I marked lots of fish in all the usual places, but getting them to bite sometimes was a chore. Friday I threw a new Shasta Bass Baits 6"swim bait most of the morning looking for biters on the points, but didn't really get into any real numbers until the afternoon. Moving around a lot is necessary to find fish on the bite right now, but that will surely change soon after all the bass are in the post spawn mode.

Top baits for me have been drop shot rigs and stick baits for the most part, and swim baits behind ball jigs or under spins when working steep shore lines and points. Most of my bites came in less than 10' feet of water, although I was definitely marking fish deeper as well. Water temps are closing in on 65 deg in some parts of Shasta Lake and the top water bite should come on strong soon as well so don't over look that technique when you are out chasing bass in the coming weeks.

Monty Currier holds up a nice Shasta Lake spotted bass he caught while fishing with a Shasta Bass Baits white under spin and a clear/holo swim bait.

I've had a great time bass fishing so far this year, but its time to start dialing in my other fishing options now as well. Whiskeytown Kokanee fishing has been very good already this year, and with the Sacramento River flows ramping up, you'll be seeing me out chasing rainbows in the Willie jet boat soon, as well.

Jeff Goodwin throwing a Shasta Bass Baits swim bait while at the controls of his Nitro bass boat that he purchased from Harrison's Marine and RV this winter.

I have some great pricing going on right now and I'm trying to get a lot of trout and Kokanee fishing in before the salmon season starts in mid July. I've already booked the July 16th opener for salmon, but I currently still have August 1st open for the upper Sac river opener. Thats always a great day of salmon fishing up here in the Anderson area and I'm almost always booked for that day already. There is a lot of negative media aimed at our salmon fishing right now, but the ocean fishing has been pretty good so far, and that's promising. As always, I will keep tabs on whats going on with our salmon and will be on the water to give first hand reports all season long.

Jeff Goodwin is a full time Northern California fishing guide and owner of Shasta Bass Baits where he manufactures and sells custom made bass baits. He guides year round for salmon, trout, steelhead, Kokanee, and bass on Northern California rivers and lakes. He fishes many bodies of water in the Redding area, but also spends many days of the year fishing on the Klamath River chasing ocean fresh King salmon and steelhead. To learn more about the fishing trips Jeff offers or to check out his Shasta Bass Baits, please visit Jeff Goodwin's Guide Service or Shasta Bass Baits at jeffgoodwinfishing.com Facebook, Instagram, or feel free to call him anytime at (707) 616-1905.

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A preview of coming attractions...if you are planning
a trip to this area be forewarned: What photographers have captured will whet your appetite for what will be an outdoor journey filled with wonders.